


The Tide

by chipfics



Series: In Hand, in Mind [4]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, mentions of female trevelyan/cullen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 08:00:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chipfics/pseuds/chipfics
Summary: Josephine takes in an afternoon on the beach with her lover. Things are changing for them, in a lot of ways.proposal fic. Set in an AU with male trevelyan as herald and female trevelyan as inquisitor.
Relationships: Male Inquisitor/Josephine Montilyet
Series: In Hand, in Mind [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741927
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	The Tide

**Author's Note:**

> this is just saccharine fluff. I have no regrets.

The wind whipped Josephine's hair about her face as she stepped onto the beach, and she pulled the ribbon she had stowed in her pocket earlier out to tie it back.

It was wonderful to be in Antiva again, so close to the water and the sound of the waves and gulls. This little stretch of beach was just for her family's use, quiet and clean and beautiful.

Tristan was seated under an awning with a book a few yards away, close to the water but out of reach of the tide. He was holding a book in his lap, turning the pages laboriously with his right hand every so often. She imagined he was having a hard time- he had been left handed, but now his left hand was gone.

Solas had taken the mark away, but there was extensive damage to the bone and muscle of Tristan's left forearm from the anchor's spread by the time it was done. His sister, no longer the Inquisitor and just a mage, was already researching methods for crafting him a prosthetic with Dagna's help. It had been the first thing she had arranged for after she visited Cullen's family and the Trevelyan estate following the Inquisition disbanding. Josephine hoped her studies were going well.

It was a little strange to see Tristan as he was now. Even with an arm missing he was still a formidable man. Well over six feet, broad and strong in build. He was always a quiet, gentle man as well- but his work with the Inquisition had kept him constantly active. Whether swinging a greatsword or helping Cullen put troops through the motions, he was hardly ever still. Usually it was only at night when he wrapped around Josephine to sleep that he stopped moving.

Now he had so much less to do. Such few responsibilities had inspired him to catch up on reading many things he had forgone before. Josephine studied the quiet focus of his face as she approached.

Bright orange hair. He had gotten it trimmed recently, so it was neater than its previously unkempt account. And his eyes were still greener than a garden in spring.

She loved his eyes. They were warm and expressive under his strong brow. Soft when he smiled, steely when he fought, twinkling like jewels when he laughed.

Her family had received Tristan warmly, for which Josephine was grateful. Her father had been rather jovial with him, delighted to meet the man who had recklessly dueled for his daughter's hand. Yvette was all too happy to ask the wildly exaggerated details of that incident. Tristan, incorrigible in his enabling, had confirmed each account with a wide smile and a melodramatic flair, laughing richly when Josephine stepped in to correct him with exasperation. _Don't encourage her_ , she had told him again.

She reached the blanket Tristan was seated on and sat next to him. He looked up quietly and offered a smile, warm and broad.

“Hello, Darling.” Josephine said softly. Tristan bent down so she could kiss his cheek.

“Hello, beautiful.” He returned easily.

He had been shy in the early days of their relationship, and that shyness persisted in some ways even now. But in private, with just the two of them, he was doting and sweet. As soon as Josephine was seated he put his book to the side and tucked her under his right arm to watch the waves with her. Always he gave her his full attention, as if there was nothing else in the world that mattered.

“How are the arrangements for the new ships coming along?” He asked. His voice was a rich baritone and it rumbled out of his chest and into Josephine's.

“Slowly but surely,” Josephine returned. She curled against his side and sighed happily. “Soon the Montilyets will have a full fleet again.”

“That's wonderful to hear,” Tristan said, and kissed the crown of her head soundly, “Your parents are lucky to have such a driven daughter, aren't they?”

“This is in no small part thanks to your assistance,” Josephine reminded, “You stepped in personally after the House of Repose showed themselves. And without your work we may not have gotten the Du Paraquettes raised to lordship.”

“Alyssa helped too,” Tristan deflected, “I just did some leg work, really.”

“And you wrestled an assassin in the middle of my office,” Josephine quipped, “That was magnificent, by the way.”

It had been less wrestling and more manhandling, really. Tristan was much larger than the man who had infiltrated Skyhold and had not so much as flinched when the assassin's knife drove into his side. He had, in fact, grabbed the fellow by the shirt, lifted him bodily and slammed him into the ground full force, knocking the wind out of him. Tristan had afterwards needed four stitches but said simply _it was worth keeping you safe_.

“Magnificent,” Tristan laughed, “If you say so.”

They fell into an easy silence and watched the water for a few minutes. Josephine lifted her hand to lace her fingers with Tristan's. He laid his head down atop hers and hummed a tavern song quietly.

Their relationship had started before Corypheus was defeated, continued after, and now the Inquisition was gone- but they remained together. Josephine couldn't convey with words how relieved that made her. That even with everything in their lives changing they still held fast to each other. Still wanted each other.

She did not think Tristan the fickle sort of person who would abandon her so easily, of course. In fact his loyalty was hard to question. It flustered her to think too heavily on it, but she knew he was terribly in love with her. Besotted in a way that he may never recover from- she hoped not, anyway. The feeling was heartily returned.

A few more minutes passed before Tristan spoke again, this time a little hesitant and uncertain in tone.

“Josephine?” He said. She looked up at him.

“Yes?”

He looked out to sea. “I've enjoyed meeting your family. They've been wonderfully welcoming and kind. I wondered, though, if...”

He set his eyes on her. “If, when you have time to travel again next, you might come and meet mine.”

He let go of her hand and moved to cup her cheek instead. “You know Alyssa, of course. You're fast friends, and that makes me happy. But you've never met our older brother or his family, or my parents. And I'd like you to.”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “Say you'll come to Ostwick with me soon?” He asked, soft and sincere.

Something about the tone of the question felt so serious, like a wave about to break on shore. Almost like a _proposal_ , she wanted to think, but that was reaching.

She leaned up onto her knees, wrapped her arms around Tristan's neck and kissed him soundly once, twice, three times. “Of course I will, darling.” she murmured, and kissed him again.

“My family is yours,” She told him, “And I would love for yours to be mine.”

The implication in the statement was heavy. _Stay with me forever_ , it whispered, _stay mine_.

Tristan moved, stood. Josephine blinked and looked up at him. His gaze had turned sharp, focused.

“If that's the case,” He said to her, “There's something I want to do.”

“Tristan, what-”

Josephine's voice caught in her throat before she could finish the question. Tristan had sunk to one knee and was fishing in his shirt pocket. Oh, he couldn't be- could he? Her pulse thrummed in her ears and a hand went to cover her mouth.

“I bought this months ago,” Tristan said, “And I've been carrying it around ever since. I wanted to plan something, but I just couldn't figure out what to say, how to start.”

“Tristan-” Josephine tried again, but his name was all that would come.

“You've given me all I need now,” He continued, and held his hand out.

There in his palm was a ring. Sized perfectly for her finger, it was a veridium band with two small, glittering emeralds set in it. Simple but pretty, and well made.

“Josephine,” Tristan said, and this time his voice caught. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

“Josephine, I couldn't possibly imagine my life without waking up every morning to your face. Or without holding your hand in mine.”

His eyes took on a furrow, the one that made her always think of a puppy following her around.

“Will you marry me?”

Tears spilled over her cheeks before she could stop them and Josephine took a shuddering breath in.

“Tristan,” She breathed, pulled herself to her knees, and then she dove forward into him to kiss him impulsively.

“Yes,” She said, and kissed him again. “Yes, a million times yes-”

Tristan laughed with every kiss she pressed upon him, his own eyes filling with tears. “Oh, wonderful,” He managed to choke, pressing their foreheads together as they laughed.

A few moments passed where they traded laughter and kisses, but eventually Josephine pulled away and produced a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe both their faces.

Once that was done she let Tristan put the ring on her finger. Delicately, gently. He was such a bear of a man, but the control he had over his motions was complete.

It fit wonderfully, and she wondered how he had gotten her ring size. Through Leliana, perhaps? Or maybe he had nicked one from her jewelry to compare. It didn't matter. It was perfect.

“I already told your family I was planning to- to do this,” Tristan managed after another few moments, “Alyssa and Cullen actually helped me pick the ring, so they know too.”

“A conspiracy,” Josephine said teasingly, “You all plotted against me? Shameful.”

Tristan's face broke into a crooked grin- oh, she loved that smile of his, so lopsided and genuine. She couldn't stop herself from kissing him again, but the way he held her against him and kissed back told her it was far from unwelcome.

She was surprised Yvette hadn't blurted something out, she mused, but she could press her family about that later. For now, Tristan was all she cared about.

Josephine Trevelyan- it was a strange thought, but a good one. She rather liked the sound of it in her head.


End file.
